Delusions

Delusion 1

Reluctantly, the US authorities have had to conclude that the shooting of 14 civil servants at a Christmas party in California was not the act of a disgruntled employee but one inspired by Islamic fundamentalism: "The investigation so far has developed indications of radicalisation by the killers and of potential inspiration by foreign terrorists organisations".

Nervousness in recognising the facts is understandable. How many more silent potential killers lurk among us? Predictably ISIS have claimed credit but the sad fact is that even when ISIS and all other fundamental Islamist organisations are defeated, the ideology still comes from the book Muslims are required to study from their earliest years. The answer is in proper education, enabling Muslims to question a faith which in Christian terms must be misguided. So long as people are allowed to believe that they can gain a place in paradise by murdering innocent people there will be no change.

In Christianity the greatest of faith, hope and charity (love), is love. By contrast Islam rewards believers at the expense of unbelievers. The characteristics of love and forgiveness are embedded in Christian consciousness, even of nominal and lapsed Christians which leads them to welcome others who reject democracy and regard Christians as inferior. It is a delusion to think that Muslims would allow non-Muslims the same freedom that they demand in our midst yet to question their allegiance is condemned as Islamophobia. If believers cannot question their beliefs and come to their own conclusions they will be forever at the mercy of those who would control them, a devastating lesson learnt all too late by many Christians.

Delusion 2

The leader of the Labour Party was quick to take credit for Labour's victory in the Oldham by-election. Labour Deputy leader Tom Watson said "If this was a referendum on Jeremy Corbyn, then he has won. It was a decisive victory with our share of the vote going up. I hope our MPs look at this result." It was not a referendum. The local verdict was that the electorate simply had confidence in their local lad. It had nothing to do with Jeremy Corbyn's leadership.

The decision of Parliament to ignore the artificial border between Iraq and Syria was a difficult one for MPs. Mr Corbyn likes to base his authority on grass roots support but what is that worth when supporters resort to bullying tactics, sending threats and offensive material to MPs who voted according to conscience?

Delusion 3 

The Anglican Church in this country continues to grapple with the consequences of following the liberal lead of the US Episcopal Church. As attendance continues to decline in line with these liberal innovations the Church of England ("A Christian presence in every community") has even considered a Beeching style closure of churches, leaving a Christian presence in some communities.

The relentless pursuit of a liberal agenda in the Church in Wales where a policy of exclusion continues to operate has resulted in an exercise to keep the current episcopal elite and their supporters in the style to which they have become accustomed by substituting Ministry Areas for Parishes with lay people doing most of the work regardless of whether they are qualified to do so beyond a programme of rudimentary lay training.

Archbishop Morgan thinks it a wonderful idea (here, page 2): "So things are on the move and what has been fantastic about all this is how the parishes concerned have got excited about the prospect, embraced the vision and seen for themselves the advantages that accrue. That is much better than a centrally imposed plan that people do not own."

The question has been raised, "What hope for the Church in Wales?" -  When meetings do not address the problem of alienation there is something wrong with the organisation they exist to serve. Read the alternative view here.

Harmony

A Russian search and rescue team loads their equipment to support the search for Indonesia AirAsia

flight QZ8501. (Darren Whiteside/Reuters)

The Russians are coming! - But fear not.

They were not invading. They are part of the multinational team searching for the crashed AirAsia passenger jet.

Disasters bring out the best in people. Countries which have been at loggerheads reveal common humanity when an Act of God occurs or when disasters strike. But that is the exception

The harmony so beautifully expressed in Eli Jenkins' prayer demonstrates what can be achieved when people sing from the same sheet. So why so much discord? Back from their Christmas holiday break government ministers and shadow ministers have been busily trying to convince us why they should be in power, bolstering assumptions, false or otherwise. There is little harmony in politics and unlikely to be so.

On the surface, interfaith dialogue is harmonious but anyone reading just a little about Islam must be apprehensive. Read about the challenge which Islam presents to the Christian community here in "A Topical Study of the Qur'an from a Christian Perspective". Harmony will be achieved only on Islamic terms so it is not difficult to understand that deception plays a key role in Islamic propaganda. It is a successful strategy. In Germany protesters against the Islamisation of their country have been accused of "rising xenophobia" adding to the customary charges of Islamophobia and racism even though Islam is a religious ideology not a race. The protesters' fears are not unreasoned. That is made abundantly clear here in "Muslim Leaders in Australia Say Banning Terrorism Will Ban Islam". For another perspective read also Alexander Boot's blog entry "Muslim countries? Even Belgium is better than any of them".

But what of the Christian faith on this Feast of the Epiphany? The last entry of one of the blogs I follow ends depressingly for many 'traditionalist' Anglicans with the words ..."those of us who remain behind in whatever ecclesial funk holes are left to us for the time being - only a sense of the gathering darkness ....." How sad - and unnecessary.

'His Darkness' the Archbishop of Wales preached on darkness in his sermon on Christmas Day. Without any hint of irony he said "Stand up against the world’s darkness and show the light of God". Dr Morgan rightly drew attention to the plight of Syrian refugees forced to flee their country. Many thousands have died, others have been allowed to drift in vessels abandoned by their crews after paying their life savings to escape religious intolerance. Their oppressors in Syria, and in Iraq and elsewhere, are not interpreting the Quran, they are following the Quran.

Dr Morgan said: "The Gospel of John boldly proclaims that ‘the light shines in the darkness and the darkness does not overcome it’. Is that really the case, because it doesn’t seem to ring true to some of our experiences as human beings?" It doesn't ring true for some members of the Church in Wales but he, uniquely, is in a position to let the light overcome the darkness that hangs over many in his flock if he followed the Gospel instead of adapting it.

Be bold ++Barry. You can dispel the sense of "gathering darkness" and restore harmony to your Church. Cast aside your own intolerance and show the "light of God" to the Church in Wales this Epiphany.

Merciful and merciless

William Pooley, seen here, worked as a volunteer for The Shepherd's Hospice in Sierra Leone 
before he moved to serve on an Ebola treatment ward

William Pooley is a brave young man among many who has risked his own life showing mercy to help others affected by the Ebola virus outbreak in Africa, an unavoidable, hideous disease for which there is no cure, story here.

By contrast, merciless Islamists who have benefited from the hospitality of this country among others flock to the Middle East to spread an avoidable virus which slaughters others simply because they do not share the misguided belief that it is the will of Allah. In the latest skirmish according to Aljazeera hundreds have been killed as fighters storm the Tabqa base in northeast Syria, the army's last foothold in the area (here).

Syria has said that it was willing to work with the international community, including the United States, to tackle "terrorism" but that any strikes on its territory must be coordinated with Damascus (here). The Foreign Secretary has ruled out sharing intelligence with President Assad to take on Islamic State forces because 'my enemy's enemy is not my friend' (here). That too is misguided. His sentiments are understandable but regrettable.

It is clear from the lessons of Iraq, Libya and indeed from Syria that the devil you know can be better than the devil you don't. Sir Christopher Meyer, former British Ambassador to the United States, responded "Britain’s foreign policy has to reflect the world as we find it – not as we would like it to be". He is correct. 'Islamic state' must be stopped. Sir Christopher concluded his remarks by saying "This would be the mother of all U-turns. It would stick in the craw of many. But, as the great Victorian foreign secretary, Lord Palmerston, once said, we have no permanent friends or enemies, only permanent interests."

Postscript

 "Islamist groups work together in perfect harmony like an orchestra that sings to the tune of “Allahu Akbar.” And when Islamic terrorism and beheadings anger the world and turn public opinion against Islam, that orchestra starts playing a different tune to confuse and prevent the world from uncovering their coordinated handy work". Read here.

Wolves in shepherd's clothing?

  Church in Wales Sacred Synod, Lampeter, 11 Sept 2013                                     Photo: Church in Wales

This morning there were reports of great rejoicing in the Church in Wales (CinW) and in the women's lobby, examples here and here, after the decision to admit women to the episcopate in Wales. For others, the rejected minority, there will be a feeling of utter desolation akin to excommunication. The fact that the CinW has too many bishops and will have to cut the number of dioceses, probably from six to three, to have any chance of surviving will have been lost in the euphoria.

Despite my reservations over their intent (based on their past record), the bishop's Bill did included a measure which would have made some sort of statuary provision for dissenters, a measure hailed by some as the way forward in the Church of England. Whether or not it would have been acceptable to those for whom it was intended we will never know but it gave the senior CinW pastors a semblance of credibility.

In the event the Bench revealed all by voting unanimously in favour of the Jackson - Wigley amended Bill which replaced the statuary guarantee with a meaningless Code of Practice. As the Ven. Peggy Jackson rightly said, "the Church in Wales has changed for ever".

The Bench would have had more credibility if they had withdrawn their Bill after the Jackson - Wigley amendment was carried. They didn't, suggesting that they had no intention of offering anything meaningful thereby confirming what Dr Morgan is reported to have said that 'there would be alternative pastoral provision over his dead body'.

Effectively the Governing Body did an about turn giving the Bench what they asked for five years ago. So what changed? From the very many comments I have heard and read, before and after the vote, it is clear that many had no theological concept of what they were voting on. Politics ruled.  Statutory provision was not a lot to ask for fellow Christians who feel threatened in their own church but this was denied them with vigourous applause!

The Bench of Bishops had their chance but failed woefully leaving significant numbers under their care in limbo. It will be difficult for them to dig themselves out of the pit they have created but there is a chance to redeem themselves by allowing acceptable provision combined with the Church of England. If we are to learn anything from this sad episode it must be that working together to find a solution acceptable to all is the only just way forward.

This morning I entered church in gloom. I left in sunshine reflecting on our prayers. We had prayed for the people of Syria and those suffering elsewhere, especially for persecuted Christians. What would they give to be in our position? We owe it to them to do better.

Oh! Wolves in shepherd's clothing? The answer is here.

Non-intervention and intervention

Just twelve months ago this was Syria's ultimatum to Christians; the full story here.

This morning I awoke to the news that Army Chief, General Sir Peter Wall was warning that  "we won't win wars if we are cut again" and that President Obama "has authorised sending US weapons to Syrian rebels as part of a new package of military support. Later today I was relieved to read that Downing Street said "no decision has been taken" on supplying arms - but "nothing is off the table"!

I have to agree with Tory backbencher John Baron who said: "Arming the rebels and escalating the violence could be a mistake of historic proportions." He said there was no way of knowing that weapons would not fall "into the hands of extremists within the Syrian opposition forces that have committed atrocities". He added, "We must remember that Syria is a melting pot for a proxy war being fought out at various levels including Sunni versus Shia, the West versus China and Russia, minorities within the country such as Alawites and Christians against what could follow and indeed Iran versus Saudi Arabia. Adding more weapons could escalate the conflict beyond Syria's borders."

In my previous entry I mentioned a comment about intervention from an Imam in Oxford. Referring to the murder in Woolwich of a British soldier by two Islamists he said that the Muslim community in the UK had never known such brutal terrorist attacks until the UK’s previous government drew Britain into overseas conflicts in countries like Iraq and Afghanistan. But jihadis need no excuse. Attacks around the world in March are recounted here in Nigeria, Egypt, Indonesia, Iraq, Pakistan, Sudan, Turkey, Holland, Iran, Kazakhstan, Somalia and in Libya, in appreciation of the West's assistance in the Arab Spring perhaps?

Condemnation of violence in the UK is entirely understandable. It is getting in the way of  cultural jihad which Islam is winning. If you don't believe it read on here. It should be clear even to politicians where we need to intervene.

Olympian Double Standards

Watching the London 2012 Olympics, I felt sadness mingled with admiration for the first Saudi woman athlete to compete as she crossed the finishing line of the Women's 800 metres half a minute after the rest of the competitors. Forced to compete in a form of Islamic attire better suited to the Winter Olympics she provided an own goal for Saudi Arabia's strict Islamic code which denies their womenfolk the freedoms other women around the world take for granted.

Roared on by the 80,000 spectators in the Olympic Arena it is difficult to reconcile the crowd's response with the report in PressTV headed - Olympics on a land full of Islamophobia in which they allege:

   

"The UK is presenting itself as an equal opportunities state and a secure location, especially when it comes to an international sports event such as the Olympic Games that are currently taking place in London. But recent history of racial and religious hatred in Britain could send a negative message worldwide.

Islamophobia has become one of the latest forms of racism in Britain, starting with the Bradford riots in 2001 that involved a high population of Asians. Approximately 68,000 Pakistanis, 12,500 Indians, 5,000 Bangladeshis and 3,000 other Asians were facing a far-right reawakening of the "National Front" that existed since the 20th century. They are currently known as the British National Party (BNP) additional to other anti-Islam groups such as the English Defence League (EDL)."

I very much doubt that religious observance forbids Muslim men to watch women dressed for running in what they must regard as inappropriate sports wear so they will have witnessed the unequal opportunities forced on Muslim women competitors. To question UK equal opportunities in such circumstances is as bizarre as it is ridiculous. But then PressTV is interested only in Islamic propaganda with their endless accusations of Islamophobia. I have tried correcting their misapprehensions in the past but they do not publish comments that are unfavourable to the cause of Islamic rule under Sharia law. 

There is no indication that the thousands of Asians in Bradford referred to are clamouring to return to Asia; quite the reverse and, in any event, Islam is not a 'race' but a religio-political organization which regards non-Muslims as inferior so charges of racism are without foundation. Also, the BNP is no more representative of the British people than is PressTV yet they presume to print: "Britain’s position as a role model to host the peaceful Olympic Games, is widely criticized by many Muslims with regard to the UK’s recent military invasions in countries like Iraq or Afghanistan." - Britainophobia! PressTV would serve their followers more accurately if they spent some time looking towards their own culture where half the population is aggrieved by the way they are discriminated against. The Olympic Games made it plain for all to see that these repressive Islamists really condemn themselves in their actions.

In a subsequent assault on the UK, PressTV complain of the security measures taken to protect participants and spectators (that is of all faiths and none) but from the tone of their article one has to assume that they see any terrorist threat as most likely to be jihadist. This is no surprise following reports of British based jihadists in Syria fighting for a cause that is neither British or Syrian and of the trouble brewing in the Sinai.  PressTV should ask themselves some serious questions about where the threat to stability lies. If they have any doubt they should read about it here.   

Islamic countries cleansed of Christians

From the Voice of the Copts (see Blog list) yet another report of a Christian church attacked in Egypt. Here is disturbing account of the plight of Christians abroad, of which a few details: 

 "In Bethlehem ... the Christian population has dropped from a majority to less than 20%; .... the number of Christians in Turkey declined from two million to 85,000; in Syria, from half the population they have been reduced to 4%; in Jordan, from 18% to 2%; nearly two-thirds of the 500,000 Christians in Baghdad have fled or been killed; in Lebanon, Christians have dwindled to a sectarian rump, menaced by surging Shiite and Sunni populations, and in Saudi Arabia Christians have been beaten or tortured by religious police."

No doubt the latter account will be dismissed merely as Israeli propaganda; indeed the Vatican is not portrayed in a particularly friendly manner highlighting the problem of a meaningful dialogue with Muslims. But the message that Christians continue to be persecuted is clear. There are also dangers for Muslims rejoicing in the Arab Spring. They, as well as Christians, would do well to heed the stark warning in this video of one tyrannical regime being replaced by another.

Oppression or oppression: The Christian dilemma in Islamic states

 It was reported in the New York Times yesterday that 'Fearing Change, Many Christians in Syria Back Assad'. It is a sad irony for Christians there that even Iran has called for an end to the Syrian crackdown despite oppression being the norm in that country.

While the Anglican church here contents itself with becoming a social club for non-dissenters, fellow Christians elsewhere are prepared to die for their faith subjecting themselves to endless harassment. [Caution: the harassment link shows distressing images.]

The unintended consequences of the Arab Spring have provided a stark reminder that Christians in Iraq were better off under Saddam Hussein leaving Christians in Syria impaled on the horns of a dilemma.